Dramatic Weightloss in MIL -- can it be anything other than the big C

[mulranno]

My MIL, 72, has lost a lot of weight over the past month...she is concerned but too scared to go to the Dr. Could it be anything else but the big C.?..She feels tired and "unwell" but no other symptoms. She is a long term heavy drinker 2 bottles of wine a night. She is just sticking her head in the sand but I think if it could be something else -- she would go to GP.

[wonderingwondering]

My mother suffered mild depression and asthma/chest infections and was convinced she had cancer. She lost enormous amounts of weight over 2-3 months, and avoided the GP, but on eventually going, she got checked out - no sign of any cancer, but she's got some pretty strong steroids for her asthma.

It is so hard, you can't push people into seeing their doctor, but equally the vicious circle of symptom, stress, worse symptom, is hard to see.

[Olihan]

Over active thyroid? Can make you absolutely exhausted and lose a lot of weight quite quickly.

[3littlefrogs]

Late onset diabetes can presnt with weight loss. Is she thirsty/weeing a lot?

She needs to go to the doctor.

[BakewellTarts]

When in doubt go to the doc...after all can she be more worried than she is now? My lovely dad died from cancer and told us that at least when he knew what was wrong he could deal with it and it was much better than the uncertainty. Also there's every chance that it might be nothing like as bad as cancer.

[mulranno]

thanks for this -- looks like there are lots of realistic alternatives